WHN To Kill a Cop
by Mounty Swiss
Summary: What if Frank Vincent had friends?
1. Chapter 1

**Ironside Fanfiction:**

WHN ("what happened next") for „To Kill a Cop"

Spoilers for the episode!

"When Ed and two colleagues arrest a violent man they don't take his threats seriously, but when the other two officers are murdered, Ed is convinced that he knows who the killer is. Suspended from duty he sets himself up as the next victim, determined to prove that his suspicions are correct." (tv . com episode guide).

_Chief: "I do have to give you credit, Ed: You had a good hunch when you called the churches the place where Vincent was hiding the murder-gun."_

_Ed: "What do you mean "hunch"? It was pure logic. Your kind of logic! That's why I ran instead of clobbering him."_

_Eve: "To make him think that he could get to it first."_

_Ed: "Right."_

_Chief: "All right then, let's go at a combination: Your logic, my hunch."_

_Mark: "Yours? I don't see what you had to do with it."_

_Eve: "That's right, chief. It seems to me that you were out of it all the way."_

_Chief: "All right, tell the truth Ed: Did you need me – I mean really need me - or did you handle it yourself?"_

_Eve: "He handled it!"_

_Ed (nods)_

_Chief (grinning like a big old cat): "That's what I mean. I had a hunch he would."_

_Mark: "Wouldn't you know he'd find some way to take the credit?"_

**Prologue:**

So finally the world was back in place again... until the telephone rang.

Ed passed the phone to Ironside, who answered it.

When he put the handset down, his friends knew that the calm was already over.

The chief wanted to start talking but was interrupted by a coughing fit of his Sergeant. He watched him irritated, then explained:

„Frank Vincent seems to be behaving very strangely. He is suggesting that he will be free in a short while. People there don't know what to make of that. It seems to them as though he thinks he has another ace hidden somewhere."

„An ace? But the evidence against him is overwhelming, isn't it?" Eve asked.

The chief thought about it, then he ordered:

„Eve, you have a little chat with Mrs. Vincent. Perhaps she's now ready to cooperate.

Ed – you drive out to Bayville and talk to this Marian Lord. Try to find out if she knows anything."

Ed nodded, suppressing another coughing spell.

Ironside irritably asked back: „Are you fit for this or do I have to go on with a reduced staff?"

„'Course I am. She's quite pretty!" Ed tried to make light.

The chief wasn't convinced though. And moreover his Sergeant had missed enough sleep to fall asleep behind the wheel. It was probably wiser not to let him go alone.

„Mark, you better drive him. But you take _his_ car!"

Watching his associates leave, Ironside debated if he had considered everything. And was Ed all right? There had been a great deal of pressure on him these last few days, and now this cold... But no, Ed was young and strong, he would do just fine.

**Chapter 1 After "Just Another Quiet Night in Baghdad by the Bay"**

Mark was driving back the same way Ed had taken shortly before. From time to time Ed had to sneeze or cough.

"You should have drunk my grandmother's tea", Mark joked, but Ed felt too tired to go on with the banter.

When they finally reached their destination, Mark asked if he should come along.

Ed denied, for he didn't even know whether Marian Lord was home or not.

He stepped out of the car and climbed up to the small house. Before reaching the entrance door, he heard the cry of a woman behind the house. You didn't have to be a police officer to react to that kind of cry. Ed froze in his step, then he hurried towards the corner. When he turned it, he saw Marian Lord and two men. One was as tall as Ed, but a lot larger, the other seemed two or three inches shorter, but as heavy as his – companion? probably brother, Ed thought, because there was a distinct resemblance between the two. The taller kept Miss Lord's arm like in a twinge.

"Let her go!" Ed ordered in a calm but decided voice.

The big man saw a slim, rather pale young man in a suit. He was convinced that this boy didn't stand a chance against his solid 240 pounds, even without considering his brother.

Moreover, Ed started to cough again. The big man just laughed: "Go away, kid, don't mix up with men!"

Marian started to cry again: "He's hurting me! Please, Sergeant, help me!"

If only Ed had taken the time to get his gun and badge back! But officially, he was still suspended and therefore unarmed.

So he lashed out to hit the big man. This last was taken by surprise and let go of the girl.

"Run!" shouted Ed and pushed Marian out of the zone of danger.

"Fred, watch out!" exclaimed the smaller brother, but Ed had already grabbed Fred's arm and turned it around.

From the street below he heard a car being started – hopefully Marian Lord's. But he was aware that this was just the beginning of his own troubles.

The stocky second brother was moving towards him. Ed wanted to bounce Fred into him and run, but Fred was far too heavy for that. He didn't budge. Ed was blocked behind him, and he was too late to protect himself. The brother's fist hit home and he went down.

"Thank you, Harry, that bastard's quick!" gasped Fred. "He could have broken my nose." He turned around and with his heavy boot he kicked Ed hard, and not just once. But his victim didn't feel this anymore.

"Come on, Fred, stop it – there's no use in killing him", Harry finally warned.

"The girl's gone – what do we do now?"

For a moment, Fred seemed to have difficulties to remember the reason why they were here.

"Frank's not going to be pleased", Harry reminded him. "And we owe him."

Fred reconsidered the whole situation.

"The girl called him "Sergeant". He's not just any passer-by. She knows him. Let's have a look!"

Because Fred's nose was still bleeding, Harry knelt down to search the unconscious man on the ground. "No gun, no badge, but a wallet with his driver's license: Edward Brown."

"That's the cop who was on Frank's heels and got suspended for being too rough on him!"

"Fred, I have an idea: Let's take this boy instead of the girl. I'm sure the police will want to have him back and we can trade him for Frank!"

"That's a possibility. But we have to be careful: Cops often work in teams. There might be a second one somewhere."

A quick glance around the corner revealed them that there was just one car nearby with somebody waiting inside. They grabbed Ed's body and carried him between them. By the time Mark noticed them, they were only a few steps away from the car. Alarmed Mark opened the door.

"Listen, cop, you will do exactly as we tell you, or your friend here will feel it immediately." With that, Fred kept a knife against Ed's throat. It was just a pocket-knife, but long enough to kill.

Mark didn't tell them that he was no cop, it didn't matter at the moment. "What did you do to him?" he wanted to know.

"He's alive, and if you want him to stay that way, you let me get into that car and don't try to be smart!"

They stuffed Ed - not too gently - into the back seat and Fred, whose nose had stopped bleeding, climbed in beside him. Harry took his own car, which was parked further down the road.

Fred made Mark follow Harry's white Sedan. They drove away from the coast and up into the mountains.

Gradually Ed started to regain consciousness. At first, he had the impression that he couldn't breathe. He would have panicked, but there was not enough air for that. He struggled and somehow managed to catch at least some air. Only then did he get aware of the stinging pain in his ribcage. He couldn't suppress a low moan. Fred wasn't impressed and taunted: "You see, my nose is hurting too, so this is nothing but fair. May I remind you: It was _you_ who attacked _me_!"

Mark was glad that he heard at least _something_ of his colleague, even if it was just his ragged breathing.

Ed kept drifting in and out of consciousness, while they drove on. Once they passed a little town. Although he saw everything like through a fog, Ed remembered being here with the chief, nearly a year ago, before that sniper's bullet had put Ironside into a wheelchair.

_Author's notes:  
><em>

_Wanted urgently: Beta Reader! English is a foreign language for me, so I need your help - please!_

_Updates weekly  
><em>


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 Suspects and Victims **

Back in San Francisco, Ironside sat at his table next to Eve and Marian Lord.

Marian had come to him directly and told him – just slightly hysteric – how two huge men had assaulted her and how a heroic young sergeant had saved her.

But what had happened to Ed afterwards? And why didn't Mark call in? And why had Miss Lord been assaulted in the first place? Was there a connection between Frank Vincent and those men? A phone-call to Bayville police left him not much wiser: Ed's car was nowhere near Miss Lord's house anymore. Ironside put out an APB on the car. He got nervous, then furious, then very, very worried. But there was nothing he could do right now.

Eve had had more of a psychiatrist's than a police officer's job. Frank Vincent's wife had had a break-down. Eve took her to the chief's office, where she went to the bathroom first, to freshen up a little.

"That poor woman", Eve reported meanwhile, "she has always trusted her husband. Now she had to learn that he has not only cheated on her, but is also a murderer."

Mrs. Vincent didn't know how Frank wanted to get out of prison. _She_ at least wouldn't lie for him anymore.

Ironside made Marian describe the two men again, this time to Mrs. Vincent. She wanted so badly to help now – and she could:

She was quite convinced that the two men were Frank's cousins, Fred and Harry Vincent. They lived in the San Francisco area, too. Ironside, short of men, asked for support of homicide to bring them in "for questioning", but the Vincents weren't home. Ironside wasn't really surprised.

An APB was put out on them, but Ironside wasn't very confident of finding them.

"Eve, find out whatever you can about those cousins. I want to know everything about their jobs, families, friends, habits, just everything. We need another angle, and we need it quick!"

"Sir, perhaps I could help you with that", said timidly Mrs. Vincent. "I know them quite well, they are good friends of my husband's."

This was as good a start as any, so Mrs. Vincent began to describe Fred and Harry Vincent: As youths, they used to get into troubles, because they were so strong and prone to bar-brawls and the like. But as adults, they got serious. None of them was married, but they had an enterprise together: They bought small summer cottages and hunting lodges and rented them out. At first, Frank Vincent had helped them a little, but now they had quite a number of those cottages and business seemed to go well. They had never been in conflict with the law again and were not even registered.

For a minute Ironside brooded over those facts, then he asked:

"Eve, if you were Fred or Harry and you would want to vanish for a few days - where would you go?"

"I would hide in one of those cottages! – But why should they want to vanish?"

"I have no idea, but they seem to _have_ vanished, and so have Ed and Mark!"

To Eve, who knew Ironside well enough, it looked like he would explode any moment. It was essential to help the chief calm down. He had already missed a lot of sleep during the time Ed had tailed Frank Vincent. If he went on like that for another night, Eve was afraid that even this strong man would break down – and surely his injured back could not take this treatment any longer.

"Chief, it's getting very late. Don't you think we should let Mrs. Vincent and Miss Lord go home?"

Ironside was too agitated to notice that Eve's first care was for himself. He wasn't without feeling towards the two women. Both of them had had more discomposure than either of them could manage, and especially for Mrs. Vincent there were more difficult times to come. "You're right. Miss Lord, will you be able to drive home?"

She was, and Mrs. Vincent was taken home by a police officer on his way home.

Finally, peace seemed to return into Ironside's office. But inside himself, there was no peace, there was above all the worry for Mark and Ed.

How much had happened since this morning, when they had thought that this case was over and done with!

"Eve, I need a list of all those cottages and lodges of the Vincent brothers."

"Sir, I'm afraid that's impossible without a search warrant for their house – and where do we get a search warrant in the middle of the night? Please – let's do this tomorrow and get some rest. Your back will not tolerate being neglected any longer!"

Ironside's back was telling him that she was right. But he wouldn't let her help him to bed. And he couldn't make _her _work another night. He was stunned to notice how much he relied on Mark and Ed: On Mark for his personal live and on Ed for all the police-work he would have done himself, if not...

Of course he would have sent Ed out at night. But Ed was a man, and Eve ... Eve was Eve. That was just different.

Eve, sensing a good part of his thoughts, tried to appease him: "If the Vincents have Ed and Mark, they won't do anything to them. They are no criminals."

There it was, what neither of them really wanted to talk about: Ed and Mark as hostages of the Vincents' – probably instead of Marian Lord, because Ed had interfered when they wanted to take her hostage.

"Probably they didn't even consider it as a crime: They should take Frank Vincent's girl on a holiday and tell the police they would only let her go in exchange with Vincent. No big deal, really, was it? But with Ed and Mark, it's a different matter all together. They must be frightened now. Perhaps one of them is hurt – I can't imagine Ed and Mark being taken as hostages without putting up a fight. Everything is a lot more complicated and dangerous now."

"But wouldn't they have phoned by now and said what they want?"

"That's what I'm wondering, too. But let's go to bed now and start anew in the morning. Send me somebody up for help, will you?"

Shortly after Eve had left and Ironside had been helped to lie down, there was a sound at his bedside – not the telephone this time, but the radio.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 A Place to Hide Away**

Mark didn't have to drive much further after they'd passed that little town. Harry's Sedan turned off the main road into a forest road. They were driving slower now, but Ed had a hard time being shaken up and getting cuffs into his broken ribs. He clenched his teeth, and more than once Mark heard him hiss, but he couldn't help him. After about twenty minutes of driving through the forest, in the middle of nowhere, they reached a hunting lodge. Mark parked Ed's car beside Harry's. Together they helped Ed getting out, Fred's knife always near Ed's throat.

Mark and Ed were guided into an old barn. Seemingly, in the past there had been horses kept there. By the time they arrived there, Ed had lost consciousness again, and Mark realized that it would be his job to think of a way out for both of them.

Ed was unceremoniously dropped down.

"Fred, when are we going to make that phone call? We don't need to go to town now, for there's this radio set in the police car. I'm sure one of those cops can handle it."

"Yes – but we'll still wait until the police get real worried about their lost boys. They can't do anything to find us during the night and will be all the readier to trade them against Frank."

Mark had to sit down beside a strong post and was tied to it with his hands behind his back. Ed got bonds too, but his hands could stay in front of him – for Mark a sign that their capturers didn't want to hurt them more than necessary. One had to be thankful for small favors.

Yet this was going to be the last favor for some time. By now, Mark was hungry and thirsty, but nobody cared.

He however cared for his colleague on the other side of the room. A few months ago, Brown had just been "the fuzz" and Mark couldn't imagine that they would ever be anything else than adversaries. But Ed had always been fair towards Mark and had soon wholeheartedly accepted him. And now they were associates, and perhaps even more. Last night, he would have liked to give Frank Vincent a good punch for what he had done to Ed. And today, he wanted nothing more than Ed waking up and being all right.

Mark tried to talk to him, but Ed was still out cold. Mark only heard his breathing, which was getting more and more labored.

Mark tested his bonds. Should he try to rip them apart? But he didn't know how late it was, and when those brothers would want to have their phone call. So he just waited and worried. It was getting very cold. Outside, Mark had seen traces of snow, which was no surprise since it was still January. But Mark shuddered when he thought about what this temperature would do to Ed's already bad condition. His own hands were getting stiff, too.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the brothers came in: "Come on, cop, time for a little chit-chat with your boss!" Fred seemed to be in a good mood.

"I'm no cop, I'm just the wheelman. I don't know how to use that radio."

"Oh come on, or do I have to ask your friend here? Ask by foot?" At that, he nudged Ed slightly with his boot. Ed cried out. Although he could hardly speak, he whispered: "Holy - crow -, do - what - he - says!" Then his whole body got shaken up by a very nasty coughing fit.

For a second, Mark was completely perplexed. But while Harry loosened his bonds – with Fred always close to Ed – he mulled over Ed's words. There had to be something important. Ed was smart. Why should he waste his breath with a curse? Not that Ed _never_ cursed – around Ironside you had to be a saint _not_ to do it – but Mark never ever had heard him say "holy cow". Hoss Cartwright of "Bonanza" said so, but Sgt. Edward Brown...? Perhaps this was some sort of code, something he should pass on to Ironside. And since he himself had no idea how to help the chief in this, it was surely worth a try.

"Okay boy", Harry said, "you will give your chief a very short message, because I don't know if it is possible to trace a radio-call. You just tell him that we have you and that we trade you against Frank Vincent. We will call tomorrow again. That's all. Is that understood? Meantime, Fred will stay with Brown to make sure you do a good job."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 A Hint**

Quickly, Ironside picked up the microphone.

He didn't hear the radio-trained voice of his Sergeant, but a quite agitated Mark's. He had known the signs all right, but that was about it.

"This is Mark. We are held as hostages by two men. They want to trade us against Fr..."

"Mark, what the flamin'..." Of course, Mark couldn't hear him for he was still pressing the button.

"...'s hurt bad, holy cow. We will call again tomorrow. Over."

"..." Ironside wanted to ask more, wanted to talk to Mark, but this one had ended the call. The chief called back, but there was no answer. Probably Mark had been forced away from the radio.

What could it have been what he had missed while pressing the button?

Ironside tried to remember exactly what he had heard. He wanted to get every tidbit of information out of Mark's words.

So – they had been right. Ed and Mark were held hostage.

Two men – and the Vincent-brothers still seemed to be a very good guess.

They would call again, probably to communicate the details.

And perhaps worst of all: Somebody was hurt, most probably Ed. How bad? What had happened to him?

Ironside was more worried than he would anybody have let to know.

Mark seemed to be very anxious about him, too, otherwise he wouldn't have sworn like that. What exactly had Mark said? "Holy cow"? That was more than a little odd. Although this was a common term among teenagers, Ironside had never heard it of Mark, not to mention Eve or Ed. In contrary – they had joked about it, as they had heard it in the western-series "Bonanza". But why should Mark use it in such an extreme situation?

Ironside pulled himself up to a sitting position in his bed. That was it. Mark wanted to give him a hint. But what kind of hint? Were they somewhere around Lake Tahoe, where the "Bonanza"-stories were supposed to take place?

The chief picked up the phone and called Eve. He was lucky: She had just reached her apartment. Without a further word she turned around and came back to the office.

Meanwhile, Ironside organized a search warrant for the Vincents' house. He had to awaken a judge to get it, but he didn't care. Then he sent two of the officers on duty out to search for a list of those cottages.

Ironside was too agitated to tell Eve how much he appreciated her coming back. But she didn't even notice. There were far more important things to consider now.

"Holy cow? – Does he mean a ranch?"

"I don't know, that's why I wanted you here – together we might find out more."

Much to Ironside's amazement, the list came quicker than expected. The whole department knew now about Frank Vincent killing their colleagues. And they also knew about his little games with Ed and were more than glad to help.

But the rest was a job for just the chief and Eve. All the others didn't know Mark well enough to understand his possible code.

The task at hand wasn't easy: Harry and Fred owned twenty-seven cottages or lodges, but none of them were near Lake Tahoe. Eve marked every one of their addresses on a map. But they couldn't find a pattern. Not one of those cottages seemed to be near a ranch – or at least they could not detect any.

Suddenly the chief paused for a moment. "Eve, suppose the hint wasn't Mark's idea, but Ed's. Ed has a cold and is probably hurt – could he have said another, similar word, but Mark didn't understand him correctly?"

"What sounds similar to "cow" and you can use it as a curse?"

At first go they couldn't think of anything.

Ironside thought aloud: "I think it has to be something Ed knows but Mark doesn't, for I'm sure that Mark said "cow" and nothing else. The misunderstanding – if any - _has_ to be between Ed and Mark."

"That leaves us somewhere before your accident, doesn't it?"

Now an idea stroke Ironside: "I think he meant "Crowe". Do you remember the Crowe-affair? Ed and I were at it just before I was shot. We had to do research out of town, in a village near one of those cottages. It's a good guess that this is the right one. Perhaps Ed wanted Mark to give us an unsuspicious hint in order not to endanger him.

Let's get going, but not alone. If I'm not mistaken, some of those cops of homicide won't mind being thrown out of their beds in this case. And then I want a medical helicopter ready to get Ed to a hospital if needed – we don't know how bad he is."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5 Nightwatch**

When Mark came back to the barn, Ed was on the verge of passing out again. Worried about him, Mark complained to Harry:

"Look, it's too cold in here! If you tie me up like the first time, I won't be able to handle that radio in the morning. And we need blankets!"

"There are no spare blankets in the lodge. It's not meant to be used during the winter months." But at least he didn't fasten the bonds as tight as before.

As soon as they had left, Mark tried to talk to Ed, but he got no answer.

Then he started to fray out his bonds. He pulled a lot of splinters into his wrists, but he didn't care. He had to get free at any cost.

Hours later, the bonds still didn't break. Mark's hands were slippery of blood and his wrists were hurting like hell. He was tempted to give up. But he felt responsible for his comrade. He just couldn't let him down, as long as an occasional cough showed him that Ed was still alive.

At some point Mark started to panic. He had lost track of time long ago. What if it was already morning? The Vincents could come in any minute!

He pulled at his bonds frenziedly, hardly aware of the pain this caused.

And now the bonds burst. Mark almost toppled over. He stood up in a hurry, but got dizzy for a moment. Not bothering about himself he went over to where Ed was lying, somewhere near the door. He found him in the dark. Ed's head felt very hot to the touch, obviously he was running a fever. Mark shook him gently and whispered: "Ed, we have to get out of here. Let me loosen your bonds!"

But before he could do so, he heard a sound outside. Appalled he got up and opened the door just enough to eye out. Harry was heading towards the barn.

_Author's note: Just a little tidbit because of your kind reviews... It's not Saturday yet._


	6. Chapter 6

Mark's first impulse was to run for the car. Perhaps he could get away and call for help. But then he reconsidered and just run away from Ed and the barn. He couldn't leave Ed behind – he didn't know what the brothers would do to him in his helpless state. With an angry growl Harry followed him. Mark was convinced that he could outrun the heavy man, but he didn't want to. Near the cars he stopped and turned around to face him. Perhaps he could fight at first Harry and then Fred...

Meanwhile Fred had come out of the lodge, too. He saw the two men fighting, but knowing his brother he supposed that he wasn't needed there. But what about the other one? He had underestimated him once, he wouldn't a second time. Entering the barn he saw even in the dim light that the injured cop was still lying there, motionless. He bent down to prove his bonds and was glad to notice that they were still in place.

Since Mark's leaving the barn Ed was struggling against the fog in his head and the pain in his ribcage. He heard the noise of Mark's fight with Harry and he was afraid. Mark could fight like a tiger, he had proven that. But even if he stood a chance against Harry, there was still Fred. Ed knew that he had to bar him from joining his brother and helping him. He had to protect Mark. But how? Ed recalled the short fight with Frank Vincent at Marion's bar. He had still his long legs, and what had worked with Frank would perhaps work with Fred, too... So, when Fred raised, he stretched out his left leg and kicked Fred with the other one as hard as he could. The attack left him breathless and coughing, but that didn't matter, because he had been effective: Heavily Fred fell down, his right arm twisted under his body.

Mark heard a loud cry out of the barn. It couldn't be Ed's, for he surely hadn't enough breath for that. But nevertheless Ed had to be in troubles. Mark lashed out and his next blow hit Harry's head hard enough that the heavy man went down.

Mark sprinted back to the barn – not a second too early. A furious Fred wanted to kick Ed again ... and he seemed to have a reason: His right arm was apparently broken, because he clasped it with his left hand. He didn't even put up a fight when Mark pulled him away from Ed.

Still Mark kept him with an iron grip. He wondered what he should do with him, because Harry probably wouldn't be out cold for long, and Ed needed his help urgently.

**Chapter 6 Cavalry arriving**

At that moment he heard the noise of arriving cars – two police cars and behind them, careening and wobbling, the old Paddy-wagon.

To his immense shame he nearly fainted, now that he could let go of the responsibility. Police officers took over Fred and Harry, who was just coming to.

Ironside eyed his aide solicitously: His bruised face, the bloody hands, the tired composure. But even so, Mark had never before looked more like the tough fighter he obviously was.

"You okay?"

"Yeah – and I'm real glad to see you, chief", answered Mark with true feeling.

Eve stepped by, too: "Hey, hero!"

Mark smiled at her, but then his face turned serious.

"I'm not sure if this title shouldn't go to someone else." With that, he headed for the barn. Ironside and Eve followed.

Mark kneeled down at Ed's side and started to loosen his bonds with his bruised hands: "Hey, cavalry's here. Everything's okay now. How are you feeling?"

Ed's answer was another coughing fit, rocking his whole body. Mark noticed that his face was lined with pain and turning bluish.

Ironside had seen enough. He called one of the police officers: "Tell that medical helicopter to come here at full speed, we need it!"

Ironside felt helpless as his Sergeant was put onto a stretcher and into the helicopter.

"How is he?" he asked the emergency physician.

"Critical. We have to hurry."

The chief wasn't used to getting such short answers and he didn't like them at all, and this one left him very worried.

But his other associates needed him. They were waiting quietly beside the lodge.

"Okay, can we go home at last?" he asked them in his usual grumpy voice.

"No!" That was Mark.

Stunned Ironside stared at him. In the meantime, Mark had washed his hands and his face, and his wrists had been bandaged. The bruises on his face would shine for a few days, but that wasn't for the first time. But there was definitely an angry look on this face.

"May I ask why not?"

"Because I want some food first! I haven't eaten in 24 hours, I have the right to be hungry, have I not?"

"Fine, go try to find something in the kitchen of that lodge, but leave a receipt, or else it's going to be considered as burglary!"

Eve and the chief smiled reassuringly at one another. At least Mark had found back to his old self.

**Epilogue**

Skeptical, Ironside watched his thin, pale Sergeant in the witness stand.

Only this morning had he been released from hospital, and perhaps this hadn't even been a good idea. His injured ribcage and the bad pneumonia were barely healed, and fever and pain had taken their toll on the young man.

But Ed stood there tall and uprightly while taking the oath. His answers concerning the Vincent-case were short, but professional, and nobody noticed the thin layer of cold sweet on his forehead.

When he stepped down, Ironside left the courtroom with him – Ed seemingly pushing the wheelchair, but in fact needing it as a support. Eve followed anxiously.

Mark was waiting outside the courtroom. He prevented Ed from collapsing.

Between them, Mark and Eve more or less carried Ed to the Paddy-wagon, which was parked right in front of the building. Mark drove them back to headquarters. But it was obvious that Ed was in no shape to walk up to the office. So Ironside was helped onto one of the back seats in the wagon and Ed was forced into the wheelchair. He tried to protest, but Mark shut him up: "You see, if you would have drunk my grandmother's tea in the first place...!" Ed could just hope that they wouldn't run into anybody on their way up.

Ironside generously waited his turn – for once even patiently.

Up in their office, Eve helped Ed out of the wheelchair and lay down onto the sofa. She covered him with a thick blanket. Mark went back down to get Ironside. When they came back, Ed was already sound asleep. For the first time in weeks, his face looked relaxed and boyish like before his ordeal.

Mark thought that at least something positive had come out of this whole mess: For him, "the fuzz" had definitely turned into his friend. It was good to have him in his team.

"He's just so skinny, isn't he?" Eve whispered.

The chief was very pleased to have his people back together – and he was quite proud of them, too. Of course he would never tell them.

"That's no problem at all", he answered, not too quietly, and grinning like a big old cat again. "We'll feed him up with lots of good, healthy chili!"

_Author's note:_

_... just a short FF, my very first one. Next one will be longer._

_Dear readers, thank you very much! I didn't expect that anyone would want to read this, and now I'm overwhelmed by your kind reviews._

_Thanks especially to Sealgirl who encouraged me to post this, and to LuckyLadybug for her time – and to all the other reviewers._

_Of course I still could use somebody who told me my mistakes before they are visible to everybody..._


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